COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil, December 6 (R-Sport) - Fabio Capello's Russia secured the kindest draw possible for the World Cup finals in Brazil next year, matched with Belgium, Algeria and South Korea in the group stage.
Of the other seven groups in the 32-team tournament, Group A will feature hosts Brazil with Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon, with Brazil against Croatia the opening game on June 12 in Sao Paolo.
A strong Group B sees reigning champions Spain with the team they beat in the 2010 final, the Netherlands, Chile and Australia. In Group C, Colombia play with Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan, while Group D unites Uruguay with England, Costa Rica and Italy. In Group E, Ecuador, Honduras and France join the seeded Swiss.
Argentina will face Iran, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Nigeria in Group F; while perennial favorites Germany play the United States, Ghana and Portugal.
Brazil and Spain could clash in the final if they win their respective groups.
Capello guided Russia to their first World Cup finals in 12 years, winning Group F by a point to force Portugal to advance via a playoff against Sweden.
Russia has a poor record at major finals since the Soviet breakup, making it into the knockout rounds only once, at Euro 2008 when Guus Hiddink's men lost 3-0 to Spain in the semifinals.
In 20 games at World Cup and European championship finals, the Russians have won seven, lost 11, and drawn 2. Their biggest win was a 6-1 drubbing of Cameroon in the 1994 World Cup in the United States, when Oleg Salenko scored five times in a record that stands to this day.
The World Cup runs June 12 to July 13 in twelve host cities across Brazil. It is the second time the country has hosted the event, the first being in 1950. It will be the first World Cup to feature goal-line technology.
